It is known that some sensory properties of food can enhance satiety and consequently reduce appetite and subsequent food intake. It has been reported by de Wijk et al (2004): Amount of ingested custard dessert as affected by its color, odor, and texture, Physiol. Behav. 82:397-403 that intake decreased as food thickness increased. In the same study, a lower intake was also observed when eliminating food odors using a nose clip. Other studies have been carried out to investigate the impact of meals composed of more or less variety in sensory properties (Bellisle and Le Magnen (1981): The structure of meals in humans: Eating and drinking patterns in lean and obese subjects, Physiol. Behav. 27:649-58; Rolls et al (1981): Variety in a meal enhances food intake in man, Physiol. Behav. 26:215-21; Berry et al (1985): Sensory and social influences on ice cream consumption by males and females in a laboratory setting, Appetite 6:41-5). Varying flavor has shown diverse results.
In general, the results show that increased variety increases food and energy intake. Further, it has been shown that prior olfactory stimulation of a given food (smelling the food) without ingestion could lead to a reduction of appetite for subsequent intake of this specific food (Rolls and Rolls (1997): Olfactory sensory-specific satiety in humans, Physiol. Behav. 61:461-73).
However, opposite patterns were also reported by Fedoroff et al (2003): The specificity of restrained versus unrestrained eaters' responses to food cures: general desire to eat, or craving for the cued food? Appetite 41:7-13. In their studies, the authors found that prior exposure to food smells (pizza or cookies) enhances appetite for the related food (pizza or cookies). Taken together, these findings highlight the importance of olfactory stimulation in the regulation of appetite.
Decreased appetite through inhalation of odorants has been demonstrated by Hirsch and Gomez (1995): Weight Reduction Through Inhalation of Odorants, J. Neurol. Orthop. Med. Surg. 16: 28-31. The authors tested the impact of inhaling a blend of sweet food aromas on food intake in an obese population. Participants were instructed to sniff a plastic nasal inhaler each time they were hungry and to record how often they sniffed over a 6-month period. Results showed a positive correlation between the frequency of using the inhaler and weight loss. The benefit of the inhaler was attributed to a reduction of food cravings leading to a general decrease of appetite and consequent food intake. However, in the absence of a negative control blend, it remains difficult to attribute this impact to a specific aroma or to a placebo effect.
US 2003/0147938 A1 describes sweet and salty tastants which are applied to a food stuff which is then consumed. Hereby the satiation effect of the food stuff is extended to achieve appetite suppression and a reduction in caloric intake.
From consumer's view, however, it would be more desirable to have a satiety feeling just before consumption of the food which would make weight management much easier.
Thus, it is object of the invention to provide a more effective approach for conveniently suppress appetite prior to consumption of a regular meal helping in the management of weight control during a weight reduction diet or to avoid unnecessary weight gain.